The Snape Children
by sgmx96
Summary: Severus Snape fathered twins that were born two months before the end of the war, however he nor anyone else knew this. This is their journey from the orphanage in America, to Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft & Wizardry, and ultimately, how they find their place in Harry Potter's family. Unfortunately, there are those that wish to finish what they started with the Snape bloodline...
1. Chapter 1

**I tried writing this storyline once before, about two years ago. I only wrote one chapter and it can still be found on this site under the author name grace83014 and the title "A New War". I would continue on from there, but I can't log in to that account anymore. I tried for about an hour, gave up, and re-made my account. I will be starting fresh with this idea, instead of copying directly from my old one.**

 **This idea has been in my head for two years now so I've had plenty of time to expand upon it and plan out what I want to happen.**

 **Summary:** **It is 16 years after the Second Wizarding War. Harry Potter is living a quiet and happy life with Ginny and their children in Godric's Hollow. In America, sixteen-year-old twins Seraphoena and Alec Snape live in an orphanage, attending Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. American Wizarding curriculum is strongly against teaching students about the Second Wizarding War. American wizards were not involved in the war, although it was well-known that they were overall against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Their philosophy is that if students do not know about the war over blood purity, they will have no concept of classism, discrimination, and violence. Therefore, the children of Severus Snape have no idea about their heritage, who their parents are, or where they came from. This story is about how they find their true home, their place in the wizarding world, and their place in Harry Potter's life. Unfortunately, the Snape children find out much more than they would like to about purity, and they find that not everyone holds their father in high regards, especially those with dark intentions who managed to avoid Azkaban the past 16 years.**

 **All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.**

 ** _Please read this!_** **Seraphoena and Alec strongly resemble their father. I do not want to have to speak too much about their appearance in my story, so I will give you an idea of what they look like. In this story I will touch on who their mother was, but as for now just know that she was a wizard from Germany, with tan skin and blue eyes. Both Snape children inherit this quality from their mother, but everything else is Severus in full. Seraphoena is slender and petite with long legs, tan skin, blue eyes, and hair as black as you can imagine. Her hair comes almost to her waist. She has a smaller nose than her father, as does her brother. Alec is tall like his father, tan skin, blue eyes, short black hair, and a perfect smile. It is very clear that these two are Snape's children. Imagine if Alan Rickman had children all by himself, but they came out tan, blue eyed, and with a smaller nose. Just try. LOL**

 **Okay, NOW on to the story.**

Chapter 1 – O.W.L.s

Seraphoena woke up paranoid, scared, and excited all at once. Her entire school career had led to this moment. She had practiced, studied, cried, and worried over this moment for the past five years. Today, she along with her fellow fifth-year classmates would be taking their O.W.L. tests.

She was positive that none of her classmates took this as seriously as she did; not even those in her house, Horned Serpent, which is where all the intelligent scholars are sorted.

It seemed as though everyone thought they could just fly through the exam and hope for the best. That was not good enough for Sera. She had always been studious, staying up late at night to study and better her reading, arithmetic, and science knowledge. Once she found out she was a wizard, that did not change. The subjects she studied most certainly changed, however her love for knowledge did not.

Sera and her twin brother, Alec, had grown up in an orphanage in Georgia. From what they were told, they were dropped off there just hours after they were born. No one knows who brought them there, because whoever did so sat them on the doorstep in their carriers, knocked on the door, and left.

The twins knew they were different from the other children in the orphanage. Whenever they were happy or upset, strange things would happen. They had few friends there, and very rarely wandered out of their room.

Sera and Alec had just turned eleven when they heard a knock on their bedroom door, and a strange woman named Madame Avery walked in. It had taken her exactly seven hours to convince the twins that they were wizards. Since then, they had never been happier.

Every September, the twins were retrieved from the orphanage by Madame Avery and brought to Ilvermorny. The ten months they spent at school were their favorite. Sera and Alec dreaded June's arrival, because it meant they had to leave their magic behind and go back to the orphanage, hiding who they truly are. Everyone at the orphanage believes that they were selected for a special boarding school in the northern part of the country, and other than that, no one really talks to them besides to let them know when dinner is ready.

Sera and Alec did not mind this. They had always relied on each other for company and friendship. This did not change when they were at school. Although they had been sorted into different houses, and had made their own close friends, they always knew where the other was when they needed them.

Seraphoena jumped out of bed and grabbed her robes. She needed a shower before her tests to clear her head. She walked through the dorm and into the bathroom, and hurriedly jumped in the shower. After drying off and using her wand to dry and style her long hair, she threw on her robes and headed to the common room.

She had barely made it to the bottom of the stairs when she saw her best friend of five years, Arabella.

"Sera! I was wondering when you would wake up. I wasn't able to sleep last night at all. I've been down here studying all night so I wouldn't wake you." Arabella said, running up to her.

"Really? You should've gotten some sleep!" Seraphoena scolded. "You don't want to be falling asleep during the practical!"

"Yeah, yeah. Oh well. I'm just hoping some coffee and fresh air will keep me awake. As long as I get an Exceeds Expectations in all the subjects, I think I'll be happy." Arabella replied.

Sera smiled and shook her head. Arabella had been her best friend since first year, when they met at the Sorting Ceremony. They were happy to find out they had not only been sorted into the same house, but were roommates as well. Arabella and Seraphoena were complete opposites, almost. Arabella was thin, blonde, and the definition of beautiful. She was studious, but not as much so as Sera. She tended to spend a short amount of time studying before her mind went off into another world, usually boys or clothes. She was one of the lucky people that just had everything come naturally to her, no studying required. The two girls were considered the most popular in their school, because not only were they beautiful, but they were smart, friendly, and happy.

"Well, if I don't get Outstanding in everything I think I may throw myself off the tower to be honest. I've been studying nonstop for five years, and to think I could lose it all today." Seraphoena sighed.

"Don't even start that shit. You'll blow everyone else's scored out of the water for sure. You need to calm it down! And then tomorrow when it's all over, we can plan when you'll be coming to stay with me this summer." Arabella smiled. She sat back down at the table, trying to get back into her Transfiguration textbook.

Seraphoena sighed and sat on the couch across from her friend. The common room was quiet, because the test did not start for another hour. Everyone was either at breakfast or still in bed. Sera didn't think she could stand even the thought of eating right now.

She wasn't thinking of the test anymore; she was thinking about how after tomorrow, she would be packing her bags and heading back to the orphanage. Everyone in their school knew where she and Alec lived, she wasn't necessarily ashamed of it. She always enjoyed going to South Carolina to stay at Arabella's house for a week during the summer. Ara always tried to convince her to stay longer, but Sera couldn't stand leaving her brother alone for so long. Another reason was that she didn't have much money. The older children in the orphanage were allowed to do chores around the building in order to make money, but it was not an extravagant amount. Sera and Alec spent their summers doing that so they wouldn't go crazy being in the orphanage all the time. They used their money to go to the movies and buy what clothes they could afford. The school fund paid for their robes, their wand, and their books thankfully. Seraphoena did not have the money to stay in South Carolina for two weeks straight, especially not when Arabella's favorite activities involved spending money.

Seraphoena was very thankful for her best friend and her family. Every summer, Arabella and her parents drove to Georgia to pick Sera up and bring her to their house. They offered to pay her way during whatever activities they did, and they always made her breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Arabella's mother was a muggle, and her father was a wizard. They were probably the nicest people that Sera had ever met. Sometimes she became jealous that she never had a family like that.

"Okay, so I was thinking maybe July first we pick you up, and we can bring you back on the eighth." Arabella said, bringing Seraphoena out of her thoughts.

"That sounds good." Sera smiled. That would give her almost three weeks to make money.

"Shit. Time to go." Ara said, glancing at the clock. The test started in fifteen minutes.

Seraphoena got up and followed her friend to the Transfiguration Hall. Unfortunately, Ilvermorny decided that all O.W.L. testing should be done in one day, instead of like other wizarding schools that spanned the test out along the week. This made for lots of stress and lots of commotion.

The Transfiguration O.W.L. was first. Seraphoena and Arabella walked into the classroom, finding about thirty other fifth years already there.

After ten minutes, a lady none of them had seen before, probably from the Ministry, stood up in front of them.

"Good morning class. As you know, this is the Transfiguration portion of your test. There are one hundred written questions, and you have exactly forty-five minutes to complete this. After that, you will follow me across the hall, where you will take your practical exam." The lady waved her wand, and a test booklet appeared in front of every student. "You may begin…now."

Seraphoena pulled out her quill, took a deep breath, and began writing.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two – Back to Georgia

Seraphoena was exhausted. She had no idea how rigorous a day full of O.W.L. testing would be, no matter how much she had prepared. It was five, and she had already completed the written and practical exams for all her subjects.

"Finally, dinner! And look, they've made spaghetti!" Alec cheered, sitting down beside his sister.

Sera laughed. Her brother had probably spent his day stress-free, just hoping he would scrape by with an Acceptable in his exams. He was the type that unless it involved food or Quidditch, he was never too interested.

"I know! I'm gonna gorge myself on this food and then go upstairs and sleep the rest of my life away. I honestly think I've never been this tired." Arabella said from across the table.

"Same. I'll be lucky if I don't sleep the day away tomorrow. I plan on having everything packed and ready to leave Saturday that way I can enjoy tomorrow." Seraphoena replied.

"Don't even talk about it! I would rather eat slugs than go back to that awful place." Alec said, speaking of the orphanage. "I plan on being out on the Quidditch pitch all day tomorrow, considering how I can't fly again til September."

Seraphoena dug into her food, trying not to think too hard about her exams. She had been going through them in her head, trying to think of what questions she had struggled with. She was almost sure she hadn't missed any, but she did not want to get her hopes up too high.

"Alec, you should come stay this summer when Sera comes!" Arabella offered. She had tried for years to include him, but Alec always declined because he felt too odd spending a week with his sister and her friend. Alec had always got along well with Ara, but he still did not feel right staying in her family home for a week. Seraphoena always had a small feeling that Arabella had a crush on her brother, but she never asked and Arabella never said anything about it.

"Nah, I'll be alright. I planned on working around the orphanage this summer as much as possible. If Thunderbird is gonna win the Quidditch championship next year, I need to buy the new Firebolt 500!" Alec said excitedly. He was the Seeker for his house, Thunderbird. Usually they won the Quidditch championship every year, but this year they had lost to Wampus house.

"Oh don't even start. I know it about killed you to lose this year, but a new broom won't help anything. Besides, that would be a waste to spend that much money on something." Seraphoena said.

"Yeah, and I think our house plans on having more practices next year. So, don't be too shocked if you lose to us." Arabella laughed.

"Oh please! I'll be surprised if your team can stay out of the library long enough to have more than one practice." Alec teased. "And yes Sera, a new broom will help. It's the fastest broom ever made in the history of, like, ever. If I'm gonna catch the Golden Snitch every match, I need that broom."

Seraphoena just smiled and continued eating. Her brother never failed to lift her spirits.

After dinner, she said goodnight to her brother and followed Arabella out of the dining room. They walked together to the east wing of the castle, where Horned Serpent's lodging was located.

"I really wish Alec would come with you this summer, Sera." Arabella said quietly.

"I know, but you know how he is. He's got his heart set on that stupid broom." Sera replied.

Arabella went silent, and Seraphoena became concerned. It was out of character for her best friend to be acting like this, especially so close to the beginning of summer. Sera had noticed in the past few days that Ara had been more reserved and downcast.

"Hey, what's bothering you? I've noticed you haven't been yourself lately." Seraphoena said, touching her friend's arm. They were close to entering the common room.

Arabella took in a deep breath and looked around, looking as though she was trying to decide if she wanted to say anything. "Not here. Wait until we get to our room."

Seraphoena was very concerned now. She followed Arabella through the common room and up the stairs to the left, where the girls' dormitories were located. They quickly walked to the end of the hallway and pushed open the last door on the right, which was their two-person room.

Once in the safety of their dorm, Arabella sat on her bed and put her head in her hands. "Please don't laugh or get mad at me when I tell you this."

"Oh, Ara! You know you can tell me anything." Sera said, sitting beside of her friend.

"Okay…well…at the beginning of the year I started noticing Alec more. Noticing him as more than a friend, or as my best friend's brother. I pushed it off as a little crush. But it never went away, it just got worse as the year went on. Well, now that it's the end of the year, I'm upset that I won't get to see him until September. I sound so stupid. I know he doesn't feel the same, but still. That's why I wanted him to come over so bad this summer." Arabella said, hiding her face the whole time.

Seraphoena would be lying if she said she was surprised. She had a feeling that her friend had a crush on Alec. In all honesty, it made her happy to know that someone cared so much for her brother.

"Arabella, you aren't stupid. In fact, I think it's great that you like my brother. And who's to say he doesn't feel the same?" Seraphoena replied.

Arabella was clearly shocked and relieved at her friend's reaction, because she pulled her face from her hands and looked at Sera. "Well, I mean, there's so many girls that like him. He's the most popular boy in his house! And he's the best Quidditch player in the school. He would never like me. He sees me as a sister or something."

"Well, I doubt that. You know Alec, he's not the type to just have a fling with anyone and everyone. And I know my brother. If he likes someone, he keeps it to himself and he's extremely good at hiding it." Seraphoena said.

Arabella sighed and lay back on her pillow. "Well, I don't know. I just know that I don't wanna go all summer without seeing him."

Seraphoena thought for a moment. "How about this. If you want, I'll ask him how he feels about you. He'll tell me the truth. And if he likes you as well, I'll be sure to bring him with me to your house, okay?"

"You would do that for me?" Arabella smiled, hugging her friend.

"Of course I would!" Sera laughed, hugging her back.

The girls spent another hour gossiping before finally falling asleep, exhausted from their day.

Two days later, it was time to go home. Arabella and Seraphoena had spent the day before lounging in their dorm, trying to recuperate from testing.

Both girls had all their bags packed, ready for the summer. They followed the rest of their classmates out to the dining hall for one last breakfast at Ilvermorny before it was time to go home.

After a breakfast of bacon, eggs, pancakes, and muffins, they made their way out the front doors of the castle. Fifth, sixth, and seventh year students were allowed to catch the train first. The train would take them to Alberta Station, where they would be picked up by their parents. In Alec and Sera's case, Madame Avery would meet them there to drive them to the orphanage. She wasn't allowed to Apparate them, because the orphanage was in such a populated place.

Seraphoena and Arabella found their seats on the train quickly.

"I see Alec. He's sitting up there with Devan and Marc." Arabella said.

"Probably talking about that stupid broom." Seraphoena said.

Arabella slumped down, clearly upset. Alec usually sat with them, but this year he had changed his mind.

After two hours, the train screeched to a halt. They had arrived at Alberta Station.

"Well, remember, July first I'll be at your place, so be waiting for me! Don't forget!" Arabella said, stepping off the train.

"Trust me, I wouldn't dare forget." Seraphoena smiled and hugged her friend. "I'll talk to Alec."

"Thank you, you're the best!" Ara said before walking away and finding her parents.

Alec walked up behind Seraphoena. "Come on, I see Madame Avery over there." The pair walked through the crowds of families towards their escort.

"Hello kids. Are you ready to go?" Madame Avery smiled at them. The twins liked her a lot. She was the one who introduced them to the wizarding world, and she always treated them well.

"Yep! Let's hit it. I'm about sick of travelling." Alec said.

Madame Avery looked around, appearing to be thinking about something. "Hmm… Well, what would you both say to Apparating? We could go two blocks from the orphanage, down that back alley beside the old gun shop."

The twins looked at each other, smiling. They had never Apparated before.

"Yes!" They both yelled out.

"Okay, let's go in here." Madame Avery pulled them into a storage closet by the entry door to the station. "Both of you grab tightly to my arms, please. Hold on to your luggage! This will only take about three seconds."

Seraphoena felt like someone had punched her in the stomach. Everything was blurry and she couldn't feel the ground beneath her. When she opened her eyes, she was in the alley two blocks away from the orphanage.

She put her hand over her mouth, willing herself to not throw up her breakfast.

"That's terrible! Why would anyone like traveling that way?" Alec said, kneeling over.

"I'm sorry honey. I should have warned you." Madame Avery said.

"Yeah, probably." Alec said sarcastically.

The three of them walked out of the alley and down the street. Seraphoena could see the top of the orphanage and instantly felt a headache coming. She hated that place.

After about five minutes of walking, they reached the door.

"Well kids, I hope you enjoy your summer. Remember, I'll be here to fetch you on September first bright and early!" Madame Avery said before hugging them both.

"Thanks Madame. We'll see you then." Seraphoena said.

Alec and Sera walked through the gates, luggage in hand. As they reached the stone doors of the building, Sera began to feel the dread rush through her just as it did every summer when they came back.

The owner of the orphanage, Ms. Alison, was there to greet them before they even had the chance to open the door.

"Alec, Seraphoena! We are delighted to see you return." She said, without much emotion in her voice. The twins couldn't stand her. She only came around once or twice a week to do a security check on everyone's rooms. Sometimes she would drop by to enforce newer and stupider rules.

"Hello, Ms. Alison." Sera said, trying to be nice.

"Go on up to your room and unpack. You'll notice there are new rules this summer. I've placed a copy on the bulletin board in the hallway. See you both at dinner in an hour." Ms. Alison said before turning and walking down the hallway and into her office.

"Stupid woman." Alec said under his breath. He situated his grip on his suitcase and lead his sister down the hallway to the set of stairs. The twins walked up three flights of stairs and down another hallway before reaching their room.

Alec pushed the door open and threw his luggage on his bed. The maids had clearly had a field day in here. Even though the twins took everything they owned with them to Ilvermorny, the maids were always sure to clear the room of any speck of dust they may have left behind them.

Seraphoena did not mind. She enjoyed a clean space. Her brother on the other hand did not. This is what made sharing a room with him so difficult. Their room wasn't small by any means, but for two teenagers, it wasn't ideal. The walls were white, there were two twin size beds on either side of the wall, and there was a window behind each. There were two wardrobes and a desk by the door. Fortunately, there was a TV in the corner, clearly something the orphanage had splurged on when they received their donation money from the local church last year. Every room in the orphanage was exactly the same with little room for personalization, thanks to Ms. Alison and her rules.

"Oh, isn't this just grand! Look at this." Alec said, picking up a piece of paper off his desk. "New rules as of March the first."

Seraphoena reached for the paper. As she read, she wanted to vomit. She read them aloud to her brother. "All televisions must be turned off by 9 pm. Showers may only be taken between the hours of 7 am and 9 am. Visitation to other rooms is off-limits."

"She can't be freaking serious!" Alec exclaimed. "I hate that woman. We are sixteen years old, being told when we can and can't shower?"

"I know. I would say I can't wait to turn seventeen, but in the Muggle world we can't leave here until we are eighteen." Sera replied, laying down on her bed.

"Oh please. I won't be coming back next summer. I'll be seventeen. If I can't get on with a professional Quidditch team, I'll just get a job with the Ministry or something. Anything to make enough money for my own apartment." Alec said as he began unpacking his things.

"That does sound like a good idea. I never thought about the fact that this very well may be our last summer here." Seraphoena responded, thinking dreamily of how great it would be to leave the orphanage for good.

Sera looked at her clock, noticing that it was a little after 4. So much for being able to shower today, she thought. Aggravated, she stood up and began tossing her clothes into the wardrobe.

Half an hour later, the twins walked down to the kitchen for dinner. There were only about twenty other children at the orphanage, and there were all younger than ten years old. Seraphoena and Alec were the oldest, therefore they had no other friends there besides each other.

They quickly scarfed down their meal of hamburgers and fries and went back to their room, exhausted from the day they had. Alec flopped down on his bed and turned on the TV. They both enjoyed watching television, unlike other wizards. Their guilty pleasure was reality TV shows.

"Alec?" Sera said. She was planning on talking to him about Arabella.

"Yeah?"

"How do you feel about Arabella?"

Silence. Sera immediately regretted how she had just came out and asked that with no warning.

"Uh…" Alec said. "Well, she's a nice girl. She's a good friend to you. Why?"

"Well… oh hell with it. She likes you. A lot. As in more than a friend." Seraphoena said quickly.

Alec rolled over and looked at his sister as though she had just fired a Stunning spell at him. "She what?"

"Don't be dumb, Alec. She likes you." Seraphoena said.

Alec went silent. After a few moments, he said, "Well…that's something. I like her too. Have for quite some time now."

Seraphoena felt as though she had just won the lottery. "Really! That's great! Come with me to her house in a few weeks."

"I can't do that! That would just be weird. It would make things between us weird. I'd rather just spend the summer here working, and let things happen on their own when school starts back." Alec said.

Seraphoena groaned. Her brother got on her last nerve sometimes. She decided she would just be happy with the news she had received tonight. After all, she did have three weeks left to convince Alec to join her on her trip to South Carolina. Even if he continued to refuse, she still had good news for Arabella.

Harry Potter was having a boring day at work. These were his favorite kinds of days, in fact. After the life he had lived, days spent doing paperwork were blessings. He glanced at the clock and realized it was time for him to end his day and go home. He began stacking his papers and putting them in his briefcase. Being Head Auror was not always fighting intense battles. There was so much paperwork and interviewing to do on top of that.

Just as Harry was about to walk out of his office and Floo home, Kingsley Shacklebolt barged in. "Mr. Potter, just the man I wanted to see!"

"Hello Kingsley. What's going on?" Harry asked, hoping it wasn't anything too time consuming. He wanted to get home to see Ginny and his kids before their bedtime.

"Well, as you know, Ilvermorny school in America just had their O.W.L. exams. Every now and again, they have a student that receives an Outstanding on every subject. When that happens, the Headmaster refers them to us, hoping that we possibly have a job opening for the student when they graduate, dependent on if their grades remain perfect." Kingsley explained.

"I know this, Kingsley. What are you talking about?" Harry said.

"I was in my office today and the Head of Magical Education, Honoria Rigglesby, brought me a letter from Ilvermorny. One of their students was referred today for her perfect scores. I was reading over it, and, well, I'll let you take a look." Kingsley said, handing Harry an envelope.

Harry opened the envelope and began reading over the scores. This student had received an Outstanding in every subject. Not just that, but the student had not answered a single question wrong. Harry couldn't believe his eyes. This was almost unheard of. However, he still did not understand why Kingsley was showing him this.

"Well Kingsley, I guess I could offer an automatic acceptance into the Auror Academy if the student wishes to do so…" Harry said.

"No, Harry. Keep reading." Kingsley said.

Harry turned his gaze to the bottom of the page. _Exam scores for Seraphoena G. Snape._

Harry felt as though he may faint.


	3. Chapter 3

"Kingsley, I don't understand. There's no way this girl could be related to Severus Snape. He was in love with my mother, and besides, if she just finished her fifth year, that means she was born during the war. Snape didn't have any romantic fling or anything, especially not then!" Harry said.

He was in complete shock. Who was this girl? Could she possibly be related to Professor Snape? It would explain her brilliance, sure, but…

"Honestly, Harry, it is possible. I did some research before I came to you. Apparently, she has a twin brother named Alec. They live in an orphanage in Georgia, and have since just a few hours after they were born. No one knows who dropped them off there. I made some calls to Ilvermorny and their orphanage." Kingsley explained.

"In that case, then, it may be possible. Do you think maybe Snape had a girlfriend no one knew of?" Harry asked.

"I think so. I remember during your sixth year, Dumbledore had sent Snape to Germany to recruit some of their Aurors into our ranks in the Order. I looked into it, and there were several men who joined, but only one woman. Her name was Iliana, and she oversaw intelligence between the German Aurors and the Order. She was killed in battle in March, just two months before the war ended." Kingsley said. He had clearly done his research today. "It is very possible that she had been pregnant during her months as a correspondent, because she was safe in Germany, correct? But I spoke with a man named Rex, who was working in the Order at the time, and he mentioned to me that he saw Iliana the day before she was killed, and she looked like she had been through some sort of physical trauma. It had been the first time he had seen her in a year and he told me that he noticed a major change in her."

"That could be because she had just given birth." Harry said, beginning to put the pieces together.

"Exactly. But, the twins were taken to the orphanage just hours after they were born. So, what I am thinking is that Iliana had given birth in March, the fifteenth to be exact, and she had taken the children to an orphanage where they would be safe. Voldemort was catching on to the fact that we had undercover Aurors in Germany and France. However, America was neutral. They completely took themselves out of the equation. There would have been no safer place to take them! I'm assuming she dropped them at the orphanage with every intention to come back for them. Then, she came here, to relay information to the Order that she had accumulated over those past eight or nine months. I honestly believe that Severus had no idea that Iliana was pregnant. He was only sent to Germany once for a two-week period. It is believable that maybe he met this woman during that time and had some sort of fling with her. I believe she planned on telling Severus about the children during her time here. Unfortunately, she was killed the day after she arrived here, by that Death Eater Dolohov." Kingsley said.

Harry took all this information in, his mind reeling. It was hard to believe that Severus Snape could possibly have children in America. It was incredibly exciting at the same time.

"This is…something else, Kingsley. What are we going to do about this? I assume they know nothing of their heritage, considering that they go to Ilvermorny." Harry said. "That school may have a great curriculum, but they are absolutely dense when it comes to teaching their students about wizarding history."

"Exactly. Well, my plan was to bring them here." Kingsley said, smiling proudly.

"I figured you'd say that. When?" Harry asked.

Kingsley looked nervous. "I was hoping to go now. And I want you to come with me."

TSCTSCTSCTSCTSCTSCTSCTSCTSCTSCTSCTSCTSCTSCTSCTSCTSC

Seraphoena was already over this summer. She had only been at the orphanage for two days and she was dreaming of returning to school. She had spent her day watching TV, getting started on her summer assignments, and hating the fact that she still had two more months here. Alec wasn't doing any better. He had already gotten started on raising the money for his new broom, so Sera hadn't seen him much today.

About that time, he came barging in the door of their room, covered in sweat and looking absolutely exhausted.

"Have I mentioned how much I hate that woman?" Alec said.

"Only a few times." Seraphoena laughed, knowing her brother was talking about Ms. Alison.

"She had me cleaning toilets for most of the day. Freaking toilets! Then, I mowed the entire front lawn. Tomorrow, I get to do the back lawn." Alec said, falling onto his bed.

"Too bad you can't shower until tomorrow morning." Sera said, wrinkling her nose. Alec was covered in sweat and dirt and his clothes were stained with grass.

"Ah, even better." Alec said sarcastically.

A knock sounded on their door. In came Ms. Alison, and Sera was hoping she hadn't somehow heard what they were talking about.

"Kids, there's someone here to see you. Two, in fact. Come with me." Ms. Alison said, beckoning them to follow her.

Sera and Alec looked at each other, confused. Sera tried to think of who could possibly be there to see them, but couldn't come up with anything. It wouldn't be Arabella, she only came to pick Sera up on the day she promised.

Alec and Sera followed Ms. Alison to her office downstairs. When they went through the door, there were two men standing off to the corner. As soon as they saw the twins, the expression on their faces changed. They seemed as though a ghost had just walked in.

"Children, these men are Kingsley Shacklebolt and Harry Potter. They are from England, and they have specifically requested the two of you for a study program at their organization this summer." Ms. Alison explained.

The older man, Kingsley, stepped forward. "Ms. Alison, may we speak to them in private, please?

"Of course." Ms. Alison said. She clearly had no interest in being around the twins any longer than she had to be. She walked out and closed the door behind her.

"Hello, kids. I'm Kingsley Shacklebolt. We had to tell Ms. Alison a different story, but we would like for you both to come to England. I am the Minister of Magic, and Harry here is the Head Auror." Kingsley said, shaking hands with both twins.

"Thank God, wizards. I thought I wouldn't get another taste of magic until September." Alec said.

Seraphoena smiled, not knowing exactly what was going on. She remembered the name Kingsley, because in her first year she had to write a paper on wizarding law and she recalled seeing a book about the Minister.

"I'm sorry, but I don't really understand. Why would you want us to come to England?" Seraphoena asked.

Kingsley sighed, as if he had a lot to say but didn't know where to begin. "Have you two ever heard of a man named Severus Snape?"

Alec and Sera looked at each other, confused. "No." They replied.

Then, the man named Harry stepped forward. "We have reason to believe he may be your father. He was killed in the Second Wizarding War, and he's quite the hero. He was a double agent against Voldemort. You two look exactly like him, and then there's the fact that you share his last name."

"I guess it's possible. We never learned anything about the war at our school. But we have no clue who our parents are." Alec explained.

"Alec, you look so much like Severus that I thought I had seen a ghost when you walked in here. Granted, you do not have his personality." Kingsley laughed. "Severus was a very quiet and private man. Quiet, sometimes rude, but absolutely brilliant. And brave as could be."

Seraphoena smiled. Could she possibly be learning where she came from? She had dreamed of this moment for years, and now it was finally happening.

"A simple blood test can confirm both of your parents for us, but I would have to do it. The spell is very complex, and is only allowed to be performed by those higher up in the Ministry. If you so wish, I can perform it now." Kingsley said.

Alec and Sera were beaming. "Yes, please!" They said.

Kingsley reached out, silently asking them to both place their hands in his. The twins did so, nervously.

Kingsley placed his wand on Alec's hand first, and muttered an incantation under his breath. A blue smoke came from the end of the wand and wrapped around Alec's hand. A few seconds later, the words "Severus T. Snape" formed from the blue smoke. The words evaporated, then the words "Iliana R. Payton" formed. Kingsley repeated the incantation on Seraphoena's hand, and the same results formed.

"Exactly as I thought." Kingsley said quietly.

Seraphoena was feeling a whirlwind of emotions. She was extremely happy to know her parentage. It was all she dreamed of. At the same time, she was frustrated at her school. Not only did they never teach her of the Wizarding War, but they had also never mentioned that there was a spell to reveal one's parentage in any of her classes. It was completely unfair, and she began to wonder what other types of education she had missed out on.

"This is amazing. I never would have thought Professor Snape had children." Harry said, stunned.

"Wait, Professor?" Alec said. "Our dad was a teacher?"

"Yes, he was a Potions professor. He could brew any potion in existence, out of pure memory. He also taught Defense Against the Dark Arts one year, and he was good at that as well. Your father was an absolute genius, even creating some of his own spells." Harry explained.

"That explains Sera's potions talent. She has been the top of our year in everything, but especially potions." Alec said. He never missed an opportunity to brag on his sister.

"That doesn't surprise me. We saw your O.W.L. scores, Seraphoena. Your headmistress sent us a letter to see if we possibly had a job for you at the Ministry upon your graduation. That's how we discovered you both." Kingsley said.

"My O.W.L. scores?! What did I get?" Sera exclaimed.

"You got an Outstanding in everything. You didn't miss a single question." Harry said.

Seraphoena was on top of the world. "Oh my gosh. That's amazing!"

"But, as I was saying before, I'd like for you both to accompany us back to England, if you so wish. I know you both have a life and friends at Ilvermorny, but I believe it would be an injustice to you to leave you there not being able to learn about your heritage. If you'd like, we would love to offer you a place at Hogwarts." Kingsley said.

Sera and Alec looked at each other, not knowing what to say.

"That would be great, but we have no money. Ilvermorny pays for all of our school things." Alec said. Sera looked at him, wondering how in the world she and her twin brother were so opposite. He tended to jump into things without thinking, while on the other hand she weighed all the pros and cons of every decision she made.

She would love to go to England and attend Hogwarts. She couldn't wait to find out more about her parents, and to learn all about the war and the role her parents played. But she couldn't help but wonder about her life she would be leaving behind, especially Arabella.

"No need to worry about that, kids. Your father was awarded an Order of Merlin after he passed. That award comes with more galleons than one can spend in ten lifetimes. That money was placed in a vault at Gringotts, the bank in Diagon Alley, because no one knew what do to with it. But, since Severus has heirs, it will now go to you." Harry told them.

"What?! We're rich?!" Alec exclaimed.

Harry laughed. "Yes, it would seem that you are."

Seraphoena was floored. This was way too much information to take in for one evening.


	4. Chapter 4

Seraphoena didn't know how to react. Not only had she discovered who her parents were, but she had also been asked to go to England and attend Hogwarts, and been awarded her father's Order of Merlin money. That meant leaving behind everything she knew to go to another country, no longer having to scrape up every Galleon she had, attending a new school, and apparently being the heir of a war hero. She never could have dreamed all of this would happen. She was so happy that she almost burst into tears. At the same time, her nerves were shot.

"This is amazing! Sera, what do we do? Do you want to go to Hogwarts?" Alec asked, bringing Sera out of her thoughts.

Of course she wanted to go to Hogwarts! She knew how amazing that school was, and she had always wanted to travel. "Yes, I do. But what about Arabella?"

Alec went still for a moment, clearly remembering that he would have people to leave behind as well. "I'm sure she could come visit if she wanted…"

Harry stepped forward. "You can send a letter by owl to your friends if you'd like once we get back to the Ministry. I'm sure they'd love to hear your good news. And, once you get settled in, we can arrange for a visit I'm sure."

Sera began to calm down after hearing that. She had only known these two men for half an hour and yet she trusted them completely. There was just something about them that brought comfort to her.

"That's great. I really wouldn't want Arabella to think I just disappeared." Sera laughed. She looked at her brother, who was beginning to look sad. He was probably thinking about how he wouldn't be able to attend school with Ara anymore. Sera made a mental note to remind him that once Ara turned seventeen in a few months, she would be able to Apparate to them whenever she so pleased. Until then, they would have to be satisfied with whatever visits Kingsley and Harry could arrange.

"Excellent! We will Apparate to the Ministry from here. If you both would go retrieve your belongings and bring them to me, we can go down the road a short way and I'll shrink them down and we can go. While you do that, we will talk to Ms. Alison." Kingsley said.

Seraphoena and Alec left the office and headed upstairs. She had no idea what kind of story the men would tell Ms. Alison, but she was sure whatever it was, the woman wouldn't care much. That awful lady had been hoping for years that someone would take the twins out of her hair.

Once they reached their room, Alec said, "This is insane! Freaking awesome, but insane! Lucky for us you got perfect test scores, or else this would've never happened."

"I know. I almost feel like I'm in a dream." Seraphoena replied as she began putting her clothes and school books into her suitcase.

After a few moments, the twins had everything packed and ready to go. They went back downstairs to the office, where they found Harry and Kingsley outside the door waiting for them.

"Ms. Alison believes we are taking you for a study program, and if all goes well this summer, you will be temporarily adopted by the program until you turn eighteen. It was easy enough to convince her." Kingsley said.

"I'm not surprised. If it wasn't illegal, she would've sent us out on the streets by now." Alec said bitterly.

Seraphoena noticed that Harry became rather sad looking when Alec said this.

They walked out the door of the orphanage and down the street to the same alley that Madame Avery had brought them to. When they reached it, Kingsley shrunk both suitcases and placed them in his pocket.

"Have you ever Apparated before? We will be Apparating straight into my office at the Ministry." Kingsley said.

"We just Apparated for the first time two days ago with our friend Madame Avery. She's the one that takes us to and from the train station when school begins and ends." Sera told them.

"Excellent. Okay, Sera, you hold on to Harry's arm. Alec, you hold on to me, please." Kingsley said.

The twins did so, and again Sera felt the ground vanish beneath her. This time, she didn't feel as sick when she finally regained her footing. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was in a large office, with tall ceilings and lots of strange knick-knacks all over the place.

A few seconds later, her brother appeared with Kingsley.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic! Well, my office, anyways." Kingsley said.

Alec and Seraphoena looked around, taking it all in. Kingsley pulled their luggage from his pocket and brought it back to actual size.

"Sir, um, where will we be staying? Until school starts back for Hogwarts?" Seraphoena asked.

Harry stepped forward. "You'll be staying with me, my wife, and our three children. They're all excited to meet you." Harry had called Ginny before Apparating to Georgia. She had been just as shocked as he had been, but they both agreed to letting the twins stay with them. They believed it was the least that they could do, considering all that Severus Snape had done for them during their time at Hogwarts.

"Are you sure that's not too much trouble? We could get a hotel or something. I really don't want to impose." Alec said.

"Not at all! You'll be staying with us. Ginny has been setting up two guest rooms for you both in the past couple of hours." Harry told them.

Seraphoena smiled gratefully. She had never known this level of hospitality from anyone, except Arabella and her family and Madame Avery. She was however very nervous. She was in a different country, moving in for the summer with someone who apparently saved the wizarding world at the age of seventeen and his family. On top of that, she would be starting at a new school. She was trying very hard to keep her thoughts together, but the excitement drove out any kind of fear or reluctance she had.

"Shall we get going then?" Harry asked. "We can Floo through this fireplace to my house. Have you ever traveled that way before?"

"Yes, we have a few times when we went school shopping with Madame Avery." Alec answered. "It's a million times better than Apparating."

"Oh yes, definitely." Harry agreed. "Okay, I'll go in behind you both. Don't worry, Ginny is expecting you. Just step in, throw down the powder, and say 'Godric's Hollow, Potter residence'".

Seraphoena decided she would go first. She picked up her suitcase and stepped into the fireplace, smiling and waving goodbye to Kingsley. She followed Harry's instructions, picking up a handful of Floo powder and saying the location she was heading. Once she threw down the powder, she was engulfed in cool green flames. When she opened her eyes, she was in a new room, which she assumed was Harry's living room.

She stepped out of the fireplace and looked around. The house was absolutely beautiful. There were tall ceilings, wooden floors, lots of lamps lit by magic, and cozy looking couches surrounding the living space. Before she had time to look any further, she was greeted by a beautiful red-haired woman.

"Oh my! Harry wasn't lying when he said you resembled your father. Welcome to our home! I'm Ginny." Ginny reached out to Sera and hugged her warmly, which Sera accepted happily. She had only known Ginny a matter of seconds, but it was hard to not become happy around her.

"I'm Seraphoena, but you can call me Sera. I really do appreciate you letting my brother and I stay here for the summer. This day has been so crazy, I'm trying to convince myself that it's not all a dream. I hope we aren't imposing on you all." Sera told Ginny.

"Not at all! I'm sure you've heard, but your father saved me and Harry countless times during our years at Hogwarts. There is no way I'll be allowing his children to live in an orphanage not knowing their true parentage. It's a complete injustice. We are thrilled to have you both. Oh, speaking of!" Ginny said, looking behind Sera at the fireplace.

Then, Alec appeared through the fireplace, and behind him was Harry.

"Well, you must be Alec! You look so much like your father. But I'm sure you're tired of hearing that. Welcome! I'm Ginny, Harry's wife." Ginny said, also giving Alec a hug.

Alec smiled and hugged her back. "Thank you for having us. We really do appreciate it."

"No, it's no problem at all, promise. Harry, the kids are already in bed, so I guess they can just wait until morning to meet our new guests. Are you all hungry?" Ginny asked.

"I'm starving!" Alec said.

"Alec!" Sera said in a hushed voice, nudging her brother. "Don't be so rude!"

Ginny and Harry both laughed. "Listen, you are welcome to anything here. Please do make yourselves at home. We'd be offended if you didn't." Harry said.

"Okay." Sera said, smiling sheepishly.

Sera and Alec followed Ginny and Harry down the hallway and into the kitchen, which was also beautiful. The countertops were marble, and the floor tiles were so white they almost sparkled. There was an island in the middle of the kitchen covered in food. Clearly Ginny had anticipated the twins being hungry, because she had cooked almost every food in existence.

"Awesome! This looks so good." Alec said. He picked up a plate and began shoveling food onto it.

"I really do apologize for my brother's manners." Sera said, becoming embarrassed.

"Like I said, what's ours is yours." Harry said, then looking at Ginny, he added "I believe Alec here will get along just fine with Ron, don't you think?"

Ginny laughed. "Oh yes, definitely. And if Sera's test scores are anything to go by, she and Hermione will be having lots of interesting conversations."

Harry and Ginny looked at the kids, remembering that they had no idea who they were talking about.

"Ron is Ginny's brother, and my best friend. His wife is Hermione, another one of my best friends. You'll probably meet them tomorrow. But, before that, I would like to take you both to Gringotts to transfer your father's money into your own vault. And then, we can discuss anything you would like to know. About him, the war, anything." Harry said.

"That would be great! I've tried so hard to find books about the war in my school, but there are none. All I know is what I've heard in passing from other students. And of course, we would love to learn more about our father, such as an in-depth version of his part in the war, and what he was like as a person. Oh, do you happen to have any of his potions notes? I would love to look"- Sera was cut off by her brother.

"Oh my gosh, Sera. We've literally been out of school for like three days and you're already wanting to look at potions stuff." Alec said between bites of food.

"Not just any potions stuff, Alec! Our father's! Wouldn't you like to see that?" Sera said.

"Oh yeah, I would. Not that I'd be able to understand it all. Did our dad ever play Quidditch?" Alec said, looking up at Harry and Ginny.

The couple had been watching the exchange between the twins, trying to hold in their laughter. It was clear that Alec was the more humorous and troublemaking twin, while his sister had inherited her father's sarcasm and love for knowledge.

"Actually, he didn't. But believe it or not, he taught himself to fly without the help of a broom or anything else." Harry said.

"What?! No way! Now, if you have any of his notes on that, that would be awesome." Alec said.

Sera laughed at her brother and shook her head, then continued eating. It was delicious, and she was starving after the long day she had.

After a few more minutes, both Sera and Alec had finished eating.

"Come on upstairs and we will show you both your rooms. I had no idea what your favorite colors were, so I just guessed. You are welcome to change them though, or move any of the furniture." Ginny said, leading the twins up the tall staircase.

Ginny led them first into a bedroom on the far end of the hall. "Alec, this is your room."

Alec walked in and was in awe. Ginny had painted it a deep blue, and the furniture had touches of gray and black. There was a tall window on the far end of the room, with a couple of smaller windows throughout giving a view of the large backyard. There was also a large TV, which surprised both of the twins since Harry and his family were wizards. Ginny had chosen this room because it was where Harry had lots of his old Quidditch things hanging, and she took a leap and figured Alec would like Quidditch.

Alec whipped around and pulled both Harry and Ginny into a hug. "This is great, I love it! I've never had my own space before, especially not one this big or nice."

Sera noticed again a flash of sadness through Harry's eyes.

"We are glad you love it! Please make yourself at home. Through that door is your bathroom, there should be towels and other things already in there. I'm going to take Sera to her room, but please do remember that if you get hungry or anything through the night, you're welcome to go to the kitchen." Ginny said. "And if you need anything, our room is right down the hallway, first door on the right."

"Thank you both, so much." Alec said. "I think I'm going to take a shower and go to bed. As Harry said, we have a busy day tomorrow. Goodnight everyone." Alec smiled and closed the door behind him.

Sera followed Ginny and Harry across the hall, where she was greeted by a room that was painted a pale yellow. The furniture was all white, with as many windows as Alec's room. She also had a TV, and her own bathroom.

Sera willed herself not to cry. However, she broke down anyways.

Ginny immediately hugged Sera. "Honey, what's wrong?"

Between tears, Sera managed to choke out "This is all so perfect. Like my brother said, we've never had anything this nice before. And it just really touches my heart to see how nice you both have been to us. It's so surreal but at the same time I'm so happy you guys found us. I'm really thankful for this opportunity to learn all these things and I just wish there was a way to express how thankful I am to you both."

Sera was still crying, but Ginny was hugging her and rubbing her back. This began to calm Sera down, and she realized just how tired she was.

Harry stepped forward, and said "Listen, Sera. I grew up without knowing my parents, just like you. I didn't have a nice family life with my aunt and uncle. Hogwarts became my home. When I discovered that you and your brother were living the way that you were, I knew I needed to step in. I see a lot of myself in you both. Your father protected me for years and years. I am honored to be able to do the same for his children." Harry hugged Sera after saying this.

Sera smiled and thanked him. "I just wish I knew what to say." She laughed through her tears.

"There's only one thing that we want in return from you and your brother." Ginny said, meeting Harry's eyes.

"Anything!" Sera said quickly.

"Please, don't go another second thinking that you both have no family. If you'll let us, we would like to be your family. We don't want either of you to ever feel alone, or scared, or unwanted ever again." Harry said.

This brought a fresh round of tears for Seraphoena.


	5. Chapter 5

Seraphoena woke up the next morning around eight, feeling refreshed and excited. She was also somewhat nervous. Harry had told her and Alec that they would get to meet Harry and Ginny's children today, and learn the full story of their father.

Sera got up from the bed and walked into the bathroom. Ginny had already stocked it full of soaps, towels, and other things a girl would use, such as hairspray, perfume, and razors. Sera needed a shower badly, so she stepped in and turned the water as hot as it would go.

After shaving, washing her hair and body, and soaking under the water for a few minutes, she stepped out and wrapped up in a towel. She always had to use a separate towel for her hair. She had so much hair that it took probably fifteen minutes of being wrapped up to stop dripping.

After drying off her body, she remembered she was in a wizard household and could easily use her wand to dry and style her hair, just like she did at school. It's going to take some time to get used to doing magic over the summer, she thought to herself.

Sera dried her hair with her wand and used it to style her hair in her signature waves. She decided she wanted to seem a bit more put together today, since she would be meeting new people, so she styled a French braid across the top. Searching through the drawers under the sink, she found some mascara and blush. After applying those to her face, she suddenly remembered she had only the clothes she had brought with her from the orphanage. None of which were nice enough to meet anyone, especially Harry's savior-of-the-wizarding-world friends.

Sighing, she walked back into her room, still wrapped in her towel. Ginny must have hung her clothes up for her in the closet, because her suitcase was missing. When Sera opened the closet, it took everything she had not to scream.

The closet was packed full of beautiful clothes and robes. Ginny had truly thought of everything. Sera instantly felt guilty, wondering how she would ever repay the Potters.

She decided to wear Muggle clothes today, since they would just be staying at the house. She chose a pair of jeans, a pink tank top, and a gray cardigan to go over it. After slipping on some socks and spraying a bit of perfume, she headed downstairs.

When she walked into the kitchen, she found Harry and Ginny sitting at the table, drinking coffee and reading over the Daily Prophet. "Good morning, Sera! I'm surprised to see you up this early." Harry smiled.

"Oh, I'm an early riser. I can't say the same for my brother though. I can't believe he wouldn't at least get up early today." Sera replied.

"Take a seat, dear." Ginny said. "I'll be starting breakfast soon enough. Honestly, if I knew you'd be awake I would have already had it made. Our kids usually don't wake up until eleven over the summer."

Harry added, "It's no big deal for Alec to sleep in. We're used to it."

Sera smiled, feeling like the odd kid out for being awake and dressed for the day by nine.

"Do you like eggs and ham? That's usually what I make for breakfast." Ginny asked.

"Love it!" Sera replied.

Harry laid down the newspaper and looked at Sera. "So, Ron and Hermione are absolutely going mad wanting to meet you and your brother. I told them they could come over around one." He paused. "I know this is very overwhelming for you…"

"No, really it's not. You have no idea how thrilled Alec and I are to get out of that orphanage. Sure, we will miss our old school and friends, but we've always wanted to see Hogwarts. We never thought we'd get the chance to attend, though. We most certainly never thought we'd get to meet someone who knew our father. The only overwhelming thing here is the kindness the two of you have shown us, just within the past twenty-four hours. I honestly, truly have no idea how I'll ever thank you enough." Sera responded.

Ginny sat down at the table and took Sera's hand. "Honey, we are thrilled to have you two here. We couldn't stand the thought of you two in that place for another second."

Sera smiled, feeling like she may cry again.

"You know, it may be awhile before the kids wake up. If you want you can explore the house, or anything you want really. I don't want you to get bored." Harry said.

Sera stood up and said, "Well, I haven't had the chance to watch TV in a while. I may go back up to my room and do that, if that's okay?"

"Of course! You don't have to ask." Ginny smiled.

Sera smiled back and walked up the stairs. When she got back to her room, she made her bed and sat down on the window seat. She hadn't noticed yesterday, but the Potters had an amazing property. The backyard, which was Sera's view, was large and spacious. There were a few trees and a beautiful garden of all types of flowers to the left. In the middle of the yard, there was a swing set, a trampoline, and a picnic table with chairs.

It really was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and the air was warm without being humid.

Sera smiled and turned on the TV.

After watching the television for about two hours, Sera heard Ginny call up to her. "Sera, breakfast is ready!"

Sera stood up and walked downstairs, noticing that her brother was already dressed and seated at the table.

"Morning, sis." He mumbled, clearly still sleepy.

Sera shook her head and smiled, sitting down beside of him. "Of course you're still tired. This is early for you."

"Let me guess, you've been awake since eight." He responded.

"Actually, eight-fifteen." Sera corrected.

"Oh, how lazy of you!" Alec laughed, mocking her.

Sera laughed, then noticed three children walking into the kitchen. She instantly became nervous, knowing that these were Harry and Ginny's children.

"Good morning, loves. Remember how I told you two very nice kids were coming to stay with us? I'd like you to meet them." Ginny said.

Suddenly, the oldest, a boy, came up to the twins and said "Hey! I'm James. I just turned eleven, so I'll be starting at Hogwarts this year. I like Quidditch and playing on the trampoline."

Alec stuck up his hand, gesturing for the boy to high-five him. The boy, James, did so and smiled. Alec said, "I'm Alec. I just turned 16. I just finished my fifth year at Ilvermorny in America. I'm 16, and I love Quidditch too. But, I've never jumped on a trampoline before."

James grabbed Alec's hand and said, "Come on, its awesome! I'll show you. We have one in the backyard."

"Woah now, son. You have to eat breakfast first." Harry laughed. James looked identical to his father. It was almost scary.

Then, a short red-haired girl walked closer to them. "Hi, I'm Lily. I'm seven. I like to read books and play dolls." She looked just like Ginny and was very soft-spoken. She walked right up to Sera and hugged her.

Sera smiled, thinking how sweet this little girl was. "Hi, Lily. I'm Seraphoena, but I'd rather be called Sera. I'm 16, and I like to read books too."

The third child came up to them and shook hands with both twins. "I'm Albus. I'm nine. I like to watch TV and play outside a lot." Albus looked like the perfect mixture of his parents, and seemed like a very sweet boy.

These kids had clearly been raised to use manners, Sera thought.

"Well, now that everyone is acquainted, lets eat, shall we?" Harry said, taking his place at the table.

Breakfast was a fun event. James and Alec discussed their favorite Quidditch teams, and had already planned on going out to the trampoline after they ate. Sera spent her time discussing television shows with Albus, and asking Lily what types of books she liked.

Harry smiled at them, his heart full and happy. It made him burst with happiness, seeing his children hitting it off so well with the children of the man who had saved his life.

A couple of hours later, Sera was in Lily's room with her, playing with her dolls. Sera had always loved children, and she usually helped take care of the younger ones in the orphanage. Lily was such a sweet girl, and Sera was having a great time. Alec was outside with James and Albus, flying on their brooms and taking turns catching the Snitch.

Ginny came up to Lily's room and saw the girls setting up Lily's life-size doll house. She smiled, not wanting to interrupt them. It was such a sweet sight.

"Hey, Sera. Ron and Hermione are here to meet you. I've already sent Harry to get the boys. They haven't gotten off those brooms since breakfast." Ginny laughed.

Sera smiled. "Yeah, that's how Alec is. He instantly loses track of time once he gets up in the air." She turned her attention to Lily. "I'll come back up in a little while, and we can play house some more, okay?"

"Okay, Sera." Lily smiled, returning her attention to her dolls.

Sera followed Ginny downstairs, where Alec and Harry sat next to a red-haired man who looked like Ginny, and a woman with curly brown hair and soft eyes.

The woman came up to Sera and hugged her. Sera was slightly taken aback, but returned the hug regardless.

"I'm sorry for being so intrusive, but as soon as Harry called I've been waiting to meet you and your brother. I'm Hermione Weasley, used to be known as Hermione Granger."

"I'm Seraphoena. But please, call me Sera." She smiled. She already liked Hermione.

Then, the red-haired man came up to her. "I'm Ron, Hermione's husband. I'm Ginny's brother."

Sera shook his hand and said, "Nice to meet you!"

Sera took a spot on the couch beside of Alec, somewhat nervous. Now, they would find out the true story of their heritage, the true story of their father and the war they never had the chance to learn about.

"Okay, kids. I honestly don't know where to begin." Harry said. "I know you have a lot of questions, but I'd rather just tell you everything and then let you ask whatever it is you'd still like to know."

"Harry, let me begin. I'm better with details than you are." Hermione smiled.

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea." Harry agreed.

Hermione cleared her throat and looked at the twins. "Okay, well. Back in the forties, a boy named Tom Riddle attended Hogwarts. He was the Heir of Salazar Slytherin, one of the four founders of Hogwarts. Tom was very sadistic, and wanted nothing but power. Although he himself was a half-blood, he wanted a wizarding world that was only purebloods. During his time at Hogwarts, he created things called Horcruxes. It is very, very dark magic. It involves killing someone, which rips the soul apart. He then stored those fractured parts of his soul in objects that were sentimental to him. Not only was Riddle obsessed with blood purity, but with immortality. He wanted to live forever, and believed that by creating these Horcruxes, he would do just that.

Once he left Hogwarts, he began recruiting other purebloods who also held his ideals. These people were called Death Eaters. During the seventies, the First Wizarding War began. Tom Riddle was now known as Voldemort, and people were so scared of him that they refused to speak his name. Voldemort and his followers tortured and killed Muggles, half-bloods, Muggle-borns, and Squibs. Sometimes, they even killed purebloods that refused to join his cause.

The First War is when your father enters the picture, along with Harry's parents. Your father, Severus, lived in a small town called Spinner's End. His own father was an alcoholic and was a Muggle, who abused Severus and his mother, who was a witch from the line of the Prince family. We aren't sure what happened to Severus's parents, but we do know for a fact that Severus was not brought up in a loving home. He didn't have much, but he did have a best friend named Lily Evans. She was Harry's mother, and she lived in the next town over from your father. They met before they went to Hogwarts. Lily was Muggle-born, and Severus was the one who told her she was a witch, before someone from Hogwarts could even come and explain it to her and her family.

Severus and Lily were the best of friends, spending every day together at a park between their neighborhoods. When it came time to go to Hogwarts, Lily was sorted into Gryffindor, while your father went to Slytherin. This began the downfall of the friendship, since the two houses were terrible rivals.

Severus was bullied by James Potter, Harry's father, and his best friends, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew all throughout school. They constantly hexed each other and neither party was innocent. James and Sirius believed that Severus was a Death Eater, since he was in Slytherin. Slytherins were known for being pureblood and lovers of dark magic. It was a terrible rivalry that spanned all seven years of their schooling. Severus and Lily remained best friends until their fifth year, when James and Sirius hexed Severus and hung him upside down in front of the entire school. Severus had been hanging out with some not-so-good people, people who ended up becoming Death Eaters. On this day, when he was being bullied in front of the school, Lily came to try to help him. Severus made a terrible mistake, in the midst of his anger and embarrassment, and called Lily a mudblood. From that day forward, Lily never spoke to Severus again, no matter how much he tried to apologize.

Sometime during seventh year, Lily began dating James. You can imagine how much this hurt Severus. He had fallen in love with Lily when they first met as children. After graduation, Lily married James and became pregnant with Harry. Severus, feeling angry and betrayed, made the terrible mistake of joining the Death Eaters."

Alec and Sera gasped. "Our father…was a Death Eater?" Alec questioned.

"Only for a short time." Hermione responded, then continued. "Severus was only a true Death Eater for about a year, but during this time he was not highly ranked, since he was only a half-blood. Your father had an amazing talent in potions and creating his own spells, which is why Voldemort allowed him to become a Death Eater.

One day, your father was in the Hog's Head pub, eavesdropping on a meeting between Sybil Trelawney and Albus Dumbledore. Trelawney was a Seer, and Dumbledore was the Headmaster of Hogwarts. During this time, Dumbledore was leading a group called the Order of the Phoenix, a group of talented wizards, to stop Voldemort. You see, Dumbledore was a teacher of Voldemort's when he was a student, and Dumbledore always knew he was destined for terrible things.

Trelawney had a vision, so to speak, during this meeting. She saw that a boy, born at the end of July, would have the power to vanquish the Dark Lord. The child would be born to those who thrice defied Voldemort. There were two possibilities of who that child could be. It was either Harry, or a boy named Neville Longbottom. Snape overheard this, not knowing it was either child. He went back to Voldemort and reported what he heard. When Voldemort decided to target the Potter's, that is when Severus deflected.

Severus instantly went to Dumbledore for help. He was scared for Lily's life. Dumbledore promised to hide the Potter's, if in return, Severus would be a spy for the Order. From that day forward, Severus remained a Death Eater, working his way up the ranks. The whole time though, he reported everything back to Dumbledore and the Order. However, Voldemort thought that Severus was his own spy against the Order. To put it simply, your father was a double agent. He was Dumbledore's man one hundred percent, though.

Dumbledore put the Potters' home under a spell, where they would be unseen to everyone. Only Dumbledore and one other person, the Secret Keeper, would know how to find them. The Secret Keeper was going to be Sirius, but at the last minute, they switched to Peter. This was to keep Sirius safe, because Voldemort would suspect Sirius first.

Peter was a terrible friend. Fearing for his life if he stayed in the Order, he switched to Voldemort's side, since he believed he would be safer there. He revealed Lily and James' location to Voldemort. On Halloween night, Voldemort went to the house, killing James first. He asked Lily to hand over Harry, but of course she did not. Voldemort offered to spare Lily's life in exchange for Harry, but that was out of the question for Lily. When Voldemort cast the killing curse at Harry, Lily stepped in the path of the curse and took it for her son. The spell rebounded, hitting Voldemort. No one is quite sure how it happened, but Dumbledore's theory was love. It is the most powerful form of magic. When Lily gave her own life for her son, the spell also killed Voldemort.

The tricky part was, part of Voldemort's soul latched itself onto the only living thing in the room, which was Harry. Since Voldemort's soul was already so damaged from making six Horcruxes, it connected itself to Harry. No one knew this. Dumbledore had a theory, but he did not reveal it until several years later.

That night, Sirius went to Godric's Hollow and discovered what had happened. He went with Rubeus Hagrid, the gamekeeper at Hogwarts, to take Harry to his aunt and uncle's house. After that, he went to find Peter. Sirius knew that they only way Voldemort would have found the Potters is if Peter told. Sirius snapped and planned to kill Peter. There was a confrontation, and Peter created an explosion killing thirteen Muggles. He escaped, but not before cutting off his own finger to make it seem as though he was killed in the explosion as well. This left Sirius standing there, overcome with grief, losing his sanity. The Aurors arrived and took Sirius to Azkaban Prison, since Peter had framed him. Sirius never even tried to explain what truly happened. He spent the next thirteen years in the prison. Harry lived with his aunt, Lily's sister, and her husband and their child. Harry was not very well cared for at all. The Dursleys despised magic, you see."

Alec and Sera were overwhelmed.

At that point, Harry took over. He explained everything to them that hadn't already been covered. Everything that happened to the three of them throughout Hogwarts, how Severus protected them. The hunt for the Horcruxes, Dumbledore's planned death, how Severus had died, and everything in between.

Sera was stunned. She had no idea how much of a hero her father truly was.

"Wow." Alec said finally. "That is… well, I don't know how to explain it. Our father really was a hero, huh?"

"Yes, he was." Harry said, smiling. "In fact, Albus was named after him and Dumbledore. His full name is Albus Severus Potter. Your father saved our lives countless times, without us even knowing it."

"Thank you all, so much for telling us this. You have no idea how much we wondered about." Sera said.

Ron spoke up. "Those teachers at Ilvermorny must be off their rockers, not teaching the students about an important part of wizarding history."

"Oh, Ronald, be polite." Hermione scolded.

By this point, it was already dark outside. Lily, Albus, and James were in their rooms getting ready for bed, and Sera realized just how tired she was.

"Well, we must be heading off. Molly is watching the kids, and I'm sure she's ready to retire for the day." Hermione said, standing up.

Ron and Hermione bid farewell to the twins, telling them they would be back in a couple of days. Alec and Sera were glad to hear this, because they had really began to like them.

"Harry." Sera said.

Harry was closing the door behind his friends. He turned around, seeing Sera and Alec standing there.

"We really do appreciate you telling us all of this. And, for what its worth…I'm sorry my dad was such a butt to you over the years." Alec said, grinning.

Sera elbowed him, also smiling.

"I promise you, your father made up for all of it." Harry said. He pulled the twins into a hug, cherishing the fact that he would be able to watch over them and give them everything they had missed out on in the past sixteen years.


End file.
